1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to gyroscopic devices particularly of the type suitable for use as gyrocompasses.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There is a need for a gyrocompass that may be manufactured at a relatively low cost. A gyroscope that is a candidate for use in such a gyrocompass is the flex suspended free rotor gyro. In these gyroscopes, the rotor is radially supported on the spin axis, and about axes perpendicular to the spin axis, by a flexure support. These flexure supports have spring centering gradient characteristics which are mutually compensated, thereby providing an anisoelastic gyro suspension and compensation for undesirable restraining torques. Though flex gyros are inexpensive, their cost advantage is offset in gyrocompasses by the cost of required auxiliary equipment. This auxiliary equipment includes two servo driven gimbals to keep the gyro pick-offs nulled, a vertical reference and control loop for levelling the spin axis, and a vertical reference to ordinate the torquing axis with respect to gravity.
It is an object of this invention to minimize the total cost by eliminating the flexure suspension elements, separate vertical reference and leveling loop, and vertical reference for torquing elements.